"Dear Steve, I saw a patient this morning with your book [in hand] and highlights throughout. She loves it and finds it very useful to help her in dealing with atrial fibrillation."

Dr. Wilber Su,Cavanaugh Heart Center, Phoenix, AZ

"...masterful. You managed to combine an encyclopedic compilation of information with the simplicity of presentation that enhances the delivery of the information to the reader. This is not an easy thing to do, but you have been very, very successful at it."

Ira David Levin, heart patient, Rome, Italy

"Within the pages of Beat Your A-Fib, Dr. Steve Ryan, PhD, provides a comprehensive guide for persons seeking to find a cure for their Atrial Fibrillation."

Walter Kerwin, MD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA

FAQs Coping with A-Fib: Marijuana

A-Fib & marijuana

“Is smoking medically prescribed marijuana or using Marinol (prescription form) going to trigger or cause A-Fib? Will it help my A-Fib?”

During the past few years an increasing number of case reports indicate an association between marijuana smoking and the development of A-Fib.

Compelling evidence is accumulating that marijuana has significant effects on the cardiovascular system. Studies show that cannabis smoking can result in “an increased risk of of both acute coronary syndrome and chronic cardiovascular disease associated with cannabis use.”

Research data shows marijuana smoking in relatively small doses leads to a slight increase in blood pressure and a decrease in oxygen capacity requiring the heart to work harder. Smoking higher doses of marijuana, especially in older individuals, may result in dizziness, fainting and falls.

Form Matters: The form of marijuana, the preparation and method of consumption affect the biological response and may have a different physiological impact.

Recently marijuana has been implicated in neurologic complications such as headache, transient ischaemic attacks and stroke. Middle age stroke patients were 2.3 times more likely to be pot smokers than healthy middle age control patients.

About palpitations: Marijuana smoking is independently associated with an increased incidence of palpitations (although the underlying cause of this finding was not yet clear).

THC and CBD: From speaking to actual marijuana users, the THC component, such as is found in the marijuana plant Stavia, is what makes you feel “high.”

The CBD component, such as is found in the marijuana plant Endica, works better to reduce pain and anxiety and induce sleep.

Best Marijuana Product for A-Fib Patients? Probably the edible forms of marijuana using primarily the CBD component seem to be something that A-Fib patients might want to investigate. But obviously, talk to your doctor first. (This observation is, at this time, very speculative. Much more research needs to be done in this area.)

Personal Experiences Advice

JIM: Jim, an a-Fib patient, has kindly shared his personal experiences about how marijuana helps him. He has tried various meds, cardioversion, and had a failed ablation. He owns his own business in California and is under a lot of stress.

“Because of all of this, I was having trouble sleeping and was getting very stressed out. But instead of taking something pharmaceutical, I turned to medical marijuana. It changed my life. I come home at night, have some marijuana edibles, and the stress goes away. I sleep wonderfully at night, waking up fresh and ready for another day. I told my doctor who understands. He says that marijuana edibles shouldn’t have anything to do with A-Fib, and that I can continue to take them.”

JOHN: On the other hand, John writes that “99% of his A-Fib attacks occurred while under the influence of marijuana.”

WILLIAM:“The A-Fib ablation has been very successful, except the two times that I went into A-Fib after smoking marijuana. I’m a lifelong recreational marijuana smoker, also smoke to relieve the pain from six surgeries on my right arm. Both times that I’ve gone into A-Fib since my last ablation have been after smoking marijuana. After the latest episode I’ve quite smoking marijuana because of the evidence that it can lead to A-Fib.”

JONATHAN:“I tried a tiny bit of brownie for the first time since being diagnosed with A-Fib (occasional episodes). It was OK until about two hours later. I went into A-Fib and, a bit later, came the closest I ever have to blacking out. I don’t think it’s for me anymore.”

SCOTT: “I am currently 55 years old and have been through 15 cardioversions due to A-Fib. I smoked marijuana pretty much daily and noticed that, when I smoked, my heart rate went up. So, I stopped smoking altogether. Since quitting smoking marijuana 7 years ago, I have not had a single case of going into A-Fib. I’m positive that the two are related.” (Scott writes that he also stopped drinking which helped. He used to drink a six pack daily.)

More Research Needed on Medical Marijuana

Due to the increased use of medical marijuana in California and other states, we should soon be getting more data on marijuana’s effects on A-Fib.

Please email me if you have experiences or observations to share about marijuana and A-Fib.

Disclaimer: the authors of this Web site are not medical doctors and are not affiliated with any medical school or organization. The information on this site is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Nothing contained in this service is intended to be for medical diagnosis or treatment.